INFLUENCE OF WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE IN AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING OF OVERWEIGHT CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: PP.34.389

Abstract

Objective: Comparing BP measurements using Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) in overweight children and adolescents with and without increased waist circumference (WC). Methods: Children and adolescents between 5 and 15 years of age were evaluated in a center specialized in treating hypertensive patients. Exclusion criteria: arm circumference >30 cm, diagnosis of secondary hypertension. A validated oscillometric method was used for the ambulatory BP measurements during a 24-hour period (SPACELABS 90207). Individuals with a BMI percentile >85 were considered overweight and were divided into groups, according to cut-off points for WC by age and sex (J. Pediatr. 2004; 145:439). One group presented with a normal WC and the other with an increased WC. Student's T test was used for establishing the comparison, and p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The study evaluated 108 children and adolescents, and studied the 46 individuals with excess weight (9.09 ± 2.89 years, 58.7% males and 58.6% non white). When comparing individuals from the normal WC and increased WC groups, no differences were found regarding weight, height and BMI (p > 0.05). BP data are shown in Table 1. Conclusion: In overweight children and adolescents, increased waist circumference is associated to a higher DP during sleep and lower night dipping of the SP and DP. These changes could be another marker for cardiovascular risk, in addition to the excess weight associated to an increased waist circumference.